Rotary motor.



' A. PETERSON.

ROTARY MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR-15, 1913.

1,147,428, Patented J 20, 1915.

: s I 8 7- I Z a 2 A. PETERSON.

ROTARY MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 15, 1913.

Patented July 20, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

ALFRED BETERSON, OF INDEPENDENCE, MISSOURI.

ROTARY MOTOR.

. of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to rotary motors and has for its prlmary objectthe production of a motor of the internal combustion type having rotarygeared pistons, the fluid supply to which is regulated by a rotary typeof valve;

A further object is to provide a valve construction in combination withtwo or more pairs of such pistons and in which the fluid charge may besupplied by the valve either alternately or simultaneously to saidpairs.

Another object is to combine the valve construction with means forregulating at will the size of the valve opening.

A further object is the provision of means for maintaining the fluidcharge in the valve.

under the required degree of pressure.

With these general objects in view, my invention comprises various noveland peculiar features of construction as hereinafter described andclaimed; and to afford a complete'understanding of the same, referencewill be made to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1, is avertical sectional view taken through the device along the line 1+1 ofFig. 3. Fig. 2, is aside elevation of the motor, being partly in sectionalong the line IIII of Fig. 1. Fig. 3, is a vertical section along theline IIIIII of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 4, isa similar section through the valve portion but showing one of the valvesleeves in shifted position. Fig. 5, is a perspective view of one of thevalve sleeves, and Fig. 6, is a vertical section along the line VIVI ofFig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the base 2 of the machine supports a pair ofstands 3 secured to the base by bolts 5 each of which stands carries twopairs of bearing standards 4. The stands 3 are placed side by side withthe bearings in alinement so as to receive two shafts 6, designed tocarry a piston 8 between each pair of standards, each pair of alinedshafts having a flexible coupling Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 20, 1915.

Application filed April 15, 1913. Serial No. 761,153.

7 of any desired type between the stands 3.

Each piston is provided with teeth 10, the shafts being at a distanceapart so that the teeth of the pistons on the same stand will intermeshas shown in Fig. 3. The standards also carry radial arms 12 for thesupport of the sections of the casing 14 which sections are boltedtogether as shown'at 16, the casing 14 corresponding to the usualcylinder casing and being for the purpose of inclosing the upperportions of each set of geared pistons whereby the teeth of the pistonsand the inner walls of the casing will.

together form pockets for inclosing the ga received from the valve.

The outer surfaces of the sections have cooling ribs 18 formed thereon.The adjacent surfaces between the pistons 8 and the side walls of thecasing 14 as well as the bearings for the shafts 6 are suitably packed,but the details of this packing are not gone into as the same aresubstantially the same as shown in Patent No. 1,026,120, issued to meMay 14,1912.

Extending vertically through the middle portion of each casing 14opposite the geared portions of the pistons is an inlet port 20.-

Into each port 20 projects a sparking plug 22 for firing gas charges atthe proper intervals. Extending across from one casing 14 to the othercasing and supported on their middle portions .over the ports 20 is avalve I casing 24, secured in place by bolts 26. This .casing 24 isprovided with ports 21 registering with ports 20, and fitting withinsaid casing 24 is an oscillating sleeve 28, and within the sleeve 28 isfitted closely a rotary. valve sleeve 30. Both sleeves 28 and 30 areopen at one end and closed at their opposite ends, the sleeve 28 beingoscillated by a sleeve 32 operating loosely upon a shaft 34, whichrotates the sleeve 30. The outer end of the shaft 34 will be suitablysupported in the bearing 36 which may be a standard or hanger orwhatever .type of bearing may be convenient where the machine isinstalled. The end of the shaft carries a sprocket wheel 38, driven byva chain 40 from a sprocket wheel 42 mounted upon one of the shafts 6.

Returning to the valve sleeves, the sleeve 28 is shown in Fig. 5, asprovided with two sets of openings 44 and 46, the openings 44 g mamasbeing in alinement with the longitudinal axis of the sleeve while theopenings 46 are out of alinement. The sleeve 28 oscillates with one orthe other of said sets of openings intermittently registering with theports 21,

' the object of the openings 44 being .to fire both casings 14simultaneously, while the openings v46 are used for alternate firingaction. The valve sleeve 30 rotates continuously and is provided with aseries of alined openings 48, it being understood that as each opening48 is rotated into position over its corresponding port 21; one or theother of the openings 44 or 46 of the other sleeve 28 will beoverlappingthe port 21 more or less according to the positioningmovement which has been imparted to the sleeve 28 by mechanism now to bedescribed.

The shaft 34 is provided with a crank arm 50 operating a' link 52connected to one arm of the bell crank lever54 to be supported from theframework or in any suitloosely upon the sleeve 32. One face of thelower end of the lever 60 is provided with clutch teeth for engagementwith the sliding clutch 62 keyed to the sleeve 32, so that thecontinuously oscillating lever will, while geared to said clutch,oscillate the sleeve 28 in order to bring the openings 46 into registryalternately with the ports 21 for alternate firing of the pairs ofpistons. It will be obvious that if the degree of oscillation of saidlever 60, and hence of the sleeve 28, be varied,the degree to which theopenings 46 will be registered with the ports 21, and consequently thesize of the valve openings, maybe changed to suit the requirements. Iobtain this adjustment by shifting the sliding block 58 along the armsof the lever 60, which is done by means of a link 62 pivoted at one endto the said block and at its opposite end to one arm of a bell crank 64pivoted at 66 to an extension 68 from the valve casing 24. For adjustingthe block, the bell crank lever 64 may be operated through theconnecting rod 70 by any suitable means from some convenient point, asfrom the drivers seat in an automobile.

In order to partially turn the sleeve 28 so as to shift from one set ofopenings to the other set of openings in said sleeve, or to regulate asdesired the relative position of openings 44 and ports 21 forsimultaneous firing, a gear 72 is loosely mounted to turn upon thesleeve 32 and provided with clutch teeth for engagement with the clutch62, the gear 72 being held in position between the adjacent end of thecasing 28 and a collar 74 fixed to the sleeve 32.

For operating the gear 72 for rotating the casing 28 through the mediumof the clutch 62, after the latter has been'disengaged from the arm 60and clutched with the gear 7 2, a segment gear 76 is pivoted at 78 tothe extension 68, with its teeth in engagement with those of the gear72, said segment be ing connected by a rod 80 to any convenient pointof' operation. A lever 82 is pivoted to a bracket 84 and carries a yokeat one end for engagement with a ring 86 of the clutch 62, the other endof the lever 82 being provided with operating connections 88 whereby toslide the clutch by any suitable means from a point convenient to theoperator, it being understood that the clutch always is engaged with thearm 60 during alternate firing, but is shifted when it is desired tooperate the gear 72.

'The clutch operating connections include springs 90 to insure clutchingaction should the relative position of the clutch teeth at first preventtheir meshing together.

From the foregoing it will be understood that the arrangement andconstruction described will be particularly adapted for automobilepurposes. The oppositely rotating shafts 6 are well suited for drivingin reverse directions without complex reversing mechanism. For lightduty, the valve may be set for alternate firing of the separate pairs ofpistons while for heavier duty the valve-may be changed for simultaneousaction" and the size of the valve openings may be regulated as explainedfor meeting the requirements of speed. In place of the complete cylindercasing for inclosing the entire piston, a great advantage also arisesfrom the construction illustrated whereby the pistons are only partiallyinclosed by the casing 14, allowing their upper portions, after theyhave been subject to the explosive action of the gas, to travel out ofthe casing and be exposed to the cooling action of the outside air.

In the construction so far described no provision is present forobtaining the required pressure in the gas charge and the mechanism bywhich this is accomplished will now be described. A twin-cylinder aircompressor is mounted upon the base 2, and comprises a cylinder casing92 within which rotates a pair of geared pistons 94 upon shafts 96carried by the casing 92 and driven by suitable gearing 98 from one ofthe shafts-6. The cylinder casing 92 has an inlet port 99 and an outlet100, from which is led a pipe 102 communicating with a storage tank 104.To this tank is connected a pipe 106, having a valve 108 controlled by aconnecting rod 110, running to a point convenient to the operator. Thispipe 106 as well as an oil supply pipe 112, leads into a nozzle casing114 having its discharge end threaded into the end of the valve casing24 opposite the shaft 34 and projecting within the open ends of thesleeves 28 and 30. This nozzle casing carries an adjustable spray 116and needle 118 extending into proximity to the discharge opening 120 ofthe casing 114. By this construction a continuous supply of compressedair within the tank is maintained by the engine through the compressorto drive the oil from the nozzle into'the valve casing in a finelyatomized condition and under a pressure sufiicient to maintain therequired pres-' sure at the firing point. This breaking up andconversion of the fluid into spray or gas under pressure is accomplishedwithout the application of heat and it will be understood that thiscombination of valve far;

force feed through the ports 21 upon each pair of pistons.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I haveprovided an eflicientdevice for carrying out the objects of my invention and while I haveillustrated the preferred form of my invention, I'reserve the right tomake all changes properly falling within the spirit and scope of theappended claims.

I claim 1. In an explosive engine, a pair of pistons, a casing thereforprovided with inlet and exhaust ports, a valve casing having an openingcommunicating with the inlet port,

an oscillatory sleeve Within said valve casing provided with anopeningregistering intermittently with said valve casing opening, and arotary valve within said sleeve having one or more openings adapted toregister with the sleeve opening.

2. In a rotary motor,-a pair of pistons, a casing therefor provided withinlet and exhaust ports, a valve casing having an opening communicatingwith the inlet port, an oscillating valve sleeve within said valvecasing provided with an opening registering intermittently with saidvalve casing opening, a rotary valve within said sleeve having one ormore openings adapted to register with the sleeve opening, and means toregulate the degree of oscillation of said sleeve.

3. In a rotary motor, two pairs of pistons, casings therefor providedwith inlet and exhaust ports, a valve casing in communication with theinlet ports, a rotary valve within said valve casing, and means foropening communlcation either slmultaneously between said valve and bothinlet ports or alternately between said valve and said inlet portsseparately.

4. In a rotary motor, two pairs of pistons, casings therefor providedwith inlet and exhaust ports, a valve casing having openingscommunicating with said inlet ports, a sleeve within said valve casingprovided with a pair of openings adapted to register simultaneously withboth of said valve casing openings, a rotary valve within said sleevehavlng one or more openlngs adapted to register with each of said sleeveopenings when the latter are registered with the valve casing openings,and means to oscillate said sleeve to regulate the size of the valveopenings.

5. In a rotary motor, two pairs of pistons, casings therefor providedwith inlet and exhaust ports, a valve casing having openingscommunicating with said inlet ports, an oscillating sleeve within saidvalve casing provided with a pair of openings adapted to registerintermittently and alternately with said valve casing openings, a rotaryvalve within said sleeve having one or more openings adapted to registerwith each of said sleeve openings when the latter are registered withthe valve casing openings, and means to regulate the degree ofoscillation of saidsleeve.

6. In a rotary motor, two pairs of pistons casings therefor providedwith inlet and exhaust ports, a valve casing having openingscommunicating with said inlet ports, a sleeve within said valve casingprovided with a pair of openings in alinement to register simultaneouslywith both of said valve casing openings, and also with a pair ofopenings located out of alinement to register intermittently andalternately with said valve casing openings, a rotary valve within saidsleeve having one or more openings adapted to register with said sleeveopenings when the latter are registered with the valve casing openings,and means to turn said sleeve to bring either of said pairs of openingsinto operative relation with said valvecasing openings. I

7. In a rotary motor, two pairs of pistons, casings therefor providedwith inlet and exhaust ports, a valve casing having openingscommunicating with said inlet ports, a

sleeve within said valve casing provided with a pair of openings locatedin alinement to register simultaneously with both of said valve casingopenings, and also with a pair of openings located out of alinement toregister intermittently and alternately with said valve casing openings,a rotary valve within said sleeve having one or more openings adapted toregister with said sleeve openings when the latter are registered withthe valve 7 casing openings, means to turn said sleeve lln testimonywhereof, ll affix my signature, in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

ALFRED PETERSQN.

Witnesses:

H. O. RODGERS, G. Y. THORJPE.

